When an area of a structure has one or more fixtures attached to a surface, and that area is being prepared for treatment or is adjacent a structure or fixture to receive treatment, the fixtures must be removed or protected from dust particles or coating material (e.g., paint, stain, etc.) getting into or onto the fixtures. Examples of structures include walls, doors and ceilings of a building, such as a residence or office, or body panels of automobiles or vessels. Examples of fixtures include handles (e.g., door handles), electrical outlets, lighting, smoke detectors, and emblems. Examples of treatments include sanding, painting, staining, stuccoing, and plastering.
Removing a fixture from a structure so that a treatment does not get into or onto the fixture is time consuming. Also, during the removal and subsequent reinstallation process the entire fixture or portions of the fixture may become damaged or may be lost. Similarly, some fixtures are unable to be completely removed. Additionally, some fixtures such as smoke detectors are sensitive and may be inadvertently activated during removal or reinstallation and therefore may cause additional problems. Additionally, many fixtures when removed become inoperable which may cause safety or other problems and/or additional costs.
Generally, protecting a fixture involves covering it. The variety of shapes and sizes of fixtures presents problems during the covering process. One common covering technique utilizes tape, such as conventional duct tape or painter's tape (blue tape), to cover a fixture. However, such tape can cause damage to the fixture upon removal of tape. Similarly, such tape often cannot be tightly molded to the shape of the fixture which can present an inadequate seal of the fixture allowing a coating material to seep between the tape, the fixture and the fixture's attachment surface creating a bond whereby upon tape removal the rigid weak quality of the tape sticks and may leave remaining remnants of the tape upon removal, or damage the painted surface. Consequently, the fixture may need to be cleaned, replaced and/or the job must be redone. Still tape may not adequately cover larger fixtures thereby requiring other material such as paper or plastic bags to be additionally attached.
Another technique covers fixtures in a project area using a wide variety of covering material with an aim toward preventing such particles or coating material from entering into or onto fixtures. Known covering techniques have generally not proven satisfactory. For example, such material is often of a make shift nature, which does not lend itself to effectively and reliable covering fixtures. Many of these types of materials are remnants of used materials on the job site. Covering material such as paper, plastic bags or plastic sheets may not be of appropriate size resulting in an inadequate seal or in physical maneuvering during application of coating material. Moreover, such material can damage fixtures upon installation or removal. Similarly, this process can be time consuming and one must have two materials, bag or paper and adhesive material.